Friday, July 8, 2011

2011 WEEK 27: Vancouver Aquarium

I've been wanting to visit the aquarium for a photographic adventure for awhile but in hindsight going there with my niece and nephew on the July 1st long weekend probably wasn't such a great idea...

It's not easy getting properly exposed images that are in focus when being jostled by thousands of people. In many cases I couldn't even get close to the fish tanks the throngs were so deep. As well as the pushing and shoving, I was also on the receiving end of a kick in the legs from an unruly toddler and the pulling of my hair by another toddler who was perched on the top of his father's shoulders... Yeah it was a bit of a rough day.

On a positive note, my niece and nephew had a fun time and were the best behaved kids there and despite the challenges I still came home with a few ok pictures.

This sea snake was a curious fellow...

Out of the many tanks full of exotic tropical fish, sharks, manta rays and other critters this was the only passable picture I was able to get.

This crocodile gave me the creeps. I swear no matter where I was standing his cold dark eyes were on me. A few seconds after I took this picture a faux thunderstorm erupted including strobes simulating lightening, rumbling thunder over the hissing speaker system and a fine spray of rain - and when the storm passed? He was in the exact same position. Creepy.

I like the water droplets on the petals of this flower.

I wish I could say what kind of bird this next one is but there were far too many people around the display board for me to read it. Still, "beautiful plumage!"

Outside, this sea otter was completely unperturbed by the large crowds gawking at him. I guess when the sun is shining on your private pool and you have your very own frisbee it's easy to not have a care in the world!

Synchronized swimmers...

Throughout the summer, the aquarium is running a special program called "Birds of Prey" where visitors can get an up close look at a number of awesome birds. Once again I was foiled by the large crowds but I managed to get to a vantage point in the arena where I literally caught "the tail-end" of the show:

This is probably the closest I've gotten to a bald eagle. Before flying back to his trainer, he was kind enough to turn around for me and give me this awesome close-up and what I think turned out to be the best picture of the day.

Next week I'm hoping to take the camera where there are far fewer people bumping me, kicking me and pulling my hair!

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ABOUT ME

I am a working director, screenwriter and story consultant based in Vancouver, BC. I've been lucky enough to see some of my words make it to the big screen and many of my images pound the eyeballs of audiences around the world.

Recently I co-created, co-wrote and directed the comedy webseries Fools For Hire Season 2 is currently in pre-production. I am slowly inching closer to making my feature directing debut, The Death of Alec Gray.

When not creating stories as a writer and director, I'm out and about with my camera snapping pictures, traveling, checking out awesome new restaurants and wondering is the Vancouver Canucks will ever, ever, win the Stanley Cup...

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create..."